To Hell and Back
by Ability King KK
Summary: AU fic.  Aqua is no longer in the Realm of Darkness.  With Terra and Ven still gone, she goes to see the only person from her past that she has left.  Unfortunately, she's only met with pain and sadness.
1. Sad News for Aqua

**This is an AU that takes place after the speculated "Kingdom Hearts III". Aqua is free from her prison in the Realm of Darkness and living on Destiny Islands with Sora, Kairi, and Riku. With Terra and Ven still gone though, she goes to see the only person she really has left from her past, until she arrives and gets the devastating news.**

**-:-**

Standing on the beach, looking out at the calm ocean, a blue-haired woman released a sigh as she turned her vision to the blue star-shaped charm in her hand.

"Is something wrong, Master Aqua?"

The woman, Aqua, turned to see three teens standing behind her. In the middle stood a boy with spiky brown hair, blue eyes, and wore black and red clothes. To the boy's left stood a girl with shoulder length red hair and wore pink clothes. The last teen was a tall boy, probably a year older than the other two, who wore white and yellow clothes and had long silver hair.

"I'm fine, Sora," replied Aqua, turning back to the ocean.

"You don't look fine, Master Aqua, if you don't mind me pointing out," said Kairi. Aqua released another sigh.

"…Is this about Terra and Ventus?" questioned Sora, only to receive a small glare from the older Keyblade wielder. Sora quickly raised his arms in front of him defensively. "Ah, I'm sorry!"

"Idiot," muttered Riku. He turned to Aqua. "Look, Sora, Kairi, and I were going to head to Olympus Coliseum to enter the games. You want to come along? Maybe it will help clear your head?"

"Olympus Coliseum?" questioned Aqua, remembering the last time she was there.

"Yeah! It'll be fun!" grinned Sora.

"Please, Master Aqua, won't you join us?" asked Kairi.

"Very well," sighed Aqua, smiling at the younger Keyblade wielders.

"Yes!" cheered Sora and Kairi. Riku settled on smirking.

-:-

About an hour later, the four Keyblade wielders arrived at Olympus Coliseum in a flash of light.

"Man, it's been a while since I've been here," said Sora as they walked to the gates.

"Have you ever been here before, Master Aqua?" asked Kairi.

"Yes, a long time ago," said Aqua, looking back on her memories.

Passing through the gates, the four saw the two golden statues that guarded the coliseum. They also saw the hero of this world carrying a giant urn.

"Hey, Herc!" called out Sora.

"Sora?" wondered Hercules. Seeing the boy, he placed the urn down and went over to greet his friend. "Hey, Sora! Long time no see! So who are your friends?"

"Got that right," grinned Sora, shaking hands with Hercules. "Anyway, this Riku, Kairi, and Master Aqua.

"Aqua?" questioned Hercules. Upon seeing the blue-haired woman, his face lit up with recognition. "Aqua! Wow, I haven't seen you in forever! It's been what, twelve years now?"

"Something like that," smiled Aqua nervously.

"Wait, you two know each other?" asked Sora as he, Kairi and Riku, looked on in confusion.

"I came here during my journey sometime after I became a Master when I was looking for Terra and Ven," explained Aqua.

"Speaking of Terra and Ven, where are they? Are they here?" asked the demigod.

Aqua flinched back a little, but stayed firm. Reluctantly, she told Hercules about what happened all those years ago at the Keyblade Graveyard. Hercules was shocked, to say the least.

"I'm sorry, Aqua. I didn't mean to…"

"Its okay, Hercules. You didn't know," smiled Aqua. Her smile then turned into a frown. "Hercules, do you know where Zack is? I had hoped to speak to him while I was here?"

It was Hercules turn to flinch back a little. He adverted his eyes to anywhere, but Aqua. Aqua could feel her heart and stomach clench. She could feel that something was wrong.

"Hercules?"

"…He's not here anymore, Aqua," said Hercules, reluctantly.

"Please tell me that he's living in Thebes."

Aqua hoped for anything that was where Zack was. Her hopes were dashed though when Hercules hung his head in sadness. Aqua could feel tears forming in her eyes. The last person from her past that she thought she had left was gone.

"No," she whispered.

"Master Aqua?" questioned Sora, hesitantly stepping closer, but was held back by Kairi.

"No!" yelled Aqua. "He can't be gone! He just can't!"

Aqua fell to her hands and knees, letting her tears fall, hitting the ground. The others couldn't believe what they were seeing. They always saw Aqua as someone who was strong of heart, but to see her crushed like this, it was scary. Soon, it became too much for her as her emotions took over and her energy gone as she lost consciousness.

"What the hell just happened?" questioned Riku. "Whose this Zack guy that got her so worked up?"

Hercules walked over to Aqua's fallen form and picked her up in his arms.

"Come with me and I'll explain everything once Aqua wakes up," said Hercules as he started walking towards the living quarters.

Sora, Kairi, and Riku quickly followed after. The shock of seeing their Master like that still fresh in their minds, they wanted to know who this Zack was and what exactly happened all those years ago.

**CHAPTER END**

**-:-**

**Originally going to be a one-shot (though much longer than where this ended), I decided to expand it into a multi-chapter. It most likely won't be a long fic, what with I have planned, but it'll still have a few chapters. So stay tuned to see what happens next! Ja ne!**


	2. Bittersweet Reunion

**Motivation is a harsh mistress when it won't give you what you want. Luckily, I got motivated to write out this chapter after reading some Zack x Aqua one-shots.**

**This chapter has the answer people have been waiting for and it also will have Zack finally make his appearance and to what happened to him. Since it'll be easier to say it here, Zack will basically be wearing what he did in **_**Crisis Core**_**.**

**Now, on with the second chapter!**

**-:-**

Aqua started to stir. As she opened her eyes, she waited for her vision to clear so she could tell where she was. At first, she didn't recognize her surroundings, but then she realized that she was still at the Olympus Coliseum.

"Ah, what happened?" asked Aqua to herself, rubbing her temples.

"Hey, you're finally up! You had us worried there for a moment, Sweetcheeks," said a voice.

Aqua turned to the source to see that it was a short heavyset half-man half-goat creature.

"Phil?" questioned Aqua.

"At least your memory seems to be okay. So, how's things been?" asked Phil with a lecherous grin.

Aqua didn't get a chance to answer as Phil was suddenly kicked into the wall. The Keyblade Master turned her wide eyes to see that it was brown-haired woman wearing a pink toga-like dress who kicked the old satyr.

"Stupid goat. What are you trying to do, scare her away after she woke up?" growled the woman through gritted teeth. "Now keep an eye on her while I go tell Wonder Boy and the others that she's awake and so help me if you do something perverted…"

The woman then left the room to go find Hercules.

"Who was that?" asked Aqua.

"That would be Herc's wife, Meg. Geez, for a mortal, she sure can deal some hurt," muttered Phil rubbing the bump on his head.

A few minutes later, Hercules, Sora, Kairi, and Riku entered the room, relief on their faces.

"Master Aqua! We were so worried about you," exclaimed Kairi, bring the older woman into a hug.

"What happened back there and whose this Zack guy?" questioned Riku, getting straight to the point. This earned him a slap to the back of his head from Meg and a glare from Sora and Kairi.

"Hercules, what happened to Zack?" asked Aqua, trying to keep her emotions steady. She did not want to have another breakdown like she had.

"Well, it's like this."

-:-

Twelve years ago…

_Zack was leaning against the doorframe watching a young Hercules doing some pushups as part of his training._

"_I better start on my own training. Won't be able to become a true hero if I just stand here," said Zack to himself._

"_Are you sure you can become a true hero?" questioned a voice._

"_Wh-What? Who's there?" asked Zack looking around._

_He then noticed a single black feather floating in front of him. What Zack didn't know was that feather would be one of the last things he'd ever see again. The young hero-in-training then felt an immense pain in his abdomen. Looking down, he saw a blade sticking into his body. Looking back up, he came face to face with a man in a red coat he didn't recognize; yet at the same time felt he knew him. With that Zack's world went black._

_The man was about to leave but was stopped when he heard someone calling Zack's name. Turning the man saw Hercules and Phil coming towards him._

"_What did you do to Zack?" demanded Hercules._

"_What did I do? Why, I freed him from his foolish dream of becoming a true hero," grinned the man. He then nudged Zack's body with his foot. "Probably a good thing too, seeing as how this boy's hopes were to high to reach. High enough that the crash would be terrible."_

_Hercules gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in anger. He was about to attack the man, but was stopped by Phil._

"_Slow down, kid. There's no way you beat this guy at you level, no matter how strong you are!" exclaimed Phil, trying to hold Hercules back._

"_Listen to you trainer, boy. Besides, its not as if you'll never see Zack again. I'm sure Hades would be glad to let you see him in the Underworld. Then again, maybe not!" laughed the man. His laughter then turned maniacal as he and Zack's body vanished from sight._

-:-

When Hercules finished, he saw that Sora, Kairi, and Riku had shocked looks on their faces, while Aqua looked as if she was told she'd never be able to find Terra and Ventus. She tried to hold back her tears, but some escaped from her eyes.

"Hercules, is there anyway to bring Zack back?" asked Aqua, not making eye contact.

"It's possible, but not an easy accomplishment. We'd have to talk to Hades and you'd probably know how that would go," said the son of Zeus.

"We still have to try though! Maybe Auron can help us out too!" declared Sora with a determined look.

"Good luck with that, kid. I don't think Hades will even listen to you what with the thrashings you and Sweetcheeks gave him," said Phil.

"I will not let that stop me," said Aqua as she stood from the bed she was sitting on. "Sora, seeing as how you've had experience in the Underworld, you'll be coming with me. Riku, I want you and Kairi to stay here."

"What for?" demanded Riku. "We can be of help!"

"Riku, you heard what Master Aqua said. Only Sora has been to the Underworld, meaning he'll know what needs to be done. They don't have time for us to get used to the Underworld's darkness," said Kairi.

"…Fine," sighed Riku.

"Good. Oh, and Sora?"

"Yeah, Kairi?"

"Good luck," said Kairi. She then gave the spiky-haired boy a small kiss on the cheek. Sora couldn't help but blush.

"Th-Thanks, Kairi," stuttered Sora. Kairi giggled at his reaction.

Aqua, Sora, and Hercules then set out to the Underworld to face Hades.

-:-

Meanwhile in the Underworld, Hades was sitting on his throne and he didn't look happy.

"You're telling that little snot-nosed key wielding brat is coming here?" demanded the Lord of the Dead.

"Kukukuku. That he is. Not only that, but Hercules is on his way with him," said a voice. The person was hiding in the shadows.

"Grr, doesn't that little sunspot have anything better to do than to infuriate me?" yelled Hades.

"They're not the only ones coming though, Hades. Apparently, a Keyblade Master who was lost to the worlds about twelve years ago is also coming here. I believe her name is Aqua. Kukukukuku."

"Hmm, why does that name sound familiar? Ah, of course, the little bluebird. What would she want to see me for though?" muttered Hades.

"Kukukuku. They want you to free the man that my master sent to you that day," grinned the mysterious man.

"So they want the hero wannabe, huh? Well, let's see if they still want him when they meet him again," said Hades giving an evil grin.

-:-

All was quiet when Aqua, Sora, and Hercules entered the Underworld.

"Is it always this quiet?" asked Aqua as she looked around.

"Not really. Usually you can hear cheering coming from the Underdrome, but I guess there's no cups being held at the moment," said Hercules.

"Come on, let's head to Hades' and get Zack back," said Sora, activating the Olympus Stone.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a voice.

The three turned around to see a one-eyed man wearing a red coat. Sora and Hercules recognized the man, but when Aqua saw the red coat, she let her anger get the better of her and she went on the attack.

"Rrrraaaahhh!" roared Aqua, drawing her Stormfall Keyblade.

"Master Aqua! Don't!" exclaimed Sora.

Aqua, unfortunately, didn't listen. She kept up her attacks and magic on the man, but the man was able to block each one with his massive sword.

"You need to calm down," said the man.

"I'll calm down when I get Zack back!" yelled Aqua. "You'll pay for striking him down!"

Aqua went back on the attack. It wasn't until Sora got between the two and blocked Aqua's strike.

"Master Aqua, you need to stop!"

"Sora's right, Aqua! That's not the man who killed Zack!" said Hercules, taking the opportunity to restrain the young woman.

"Wh-What?"

"Master Aqua, meet Auron," said Sora. Auron nodded his head in greeting.

"Is there a reason she attacked without provocation?" questioned the monk.

While Aqua regained her composure, Sora explained to Auron what Hercules told him about the man in the red coat who killed Zack.

"I see. I do not know who this man is, but I have seen this Zack a few times here. Hades has him working as a fighter in the Underdrome," said Auron.

Upon hearing that Zack was there, Aqua's eyes lit up a little. But when she heard that he was one of Hades fighters in the Underdrome, the light dulled.

"So Hades has Zack under his control again," said Aqua quietly. "It has to be the only reason Zack would be Hades' fighter."

"Again?" questioned Sora.

"When I first met Zack, he told me that Hades had used the darkness to control him into fighting Terra. Terra was able to free him, but I guess Hades found a way to control him again," explained Aqua, sadness in her voice.

"Not surprising if this Zack is dead. Hades is easily able to control anyone who is dead or weak," said Auron.

"Zack is not weak," growled Aqua.

"I never said he was," said Auron as he started walking forward. "If you wish to see your lover again, I suggest you follow me."

Aqua's cheeks heated up when Auron referred Zack as her lover. Unsure if he was serious or not, she followed after the monk. Sora and Hercules followed not far behind.

"Hey, Herc. You've known both Aqua and Zack from back then. Was there anything really going on between them?" whispered Sora.

"Well, Zack did say he asked Aqua out on a date before she left and that she was blushing and all flustered by it, but other than that, not much happened," replied Hercules.

Sora just nodded his head and said no more after that. He decided to just keep quiet about the subject until he got more information on it.

-:-

"So I'm finally getting some worthy challengers today?" questioned a man with spiky black hair as he looked over at Hades with a bored look.

"You got it, kid. Now you'll really be able to show off your power," smirked Hades.

"You make it seem like I've been holding back all these years. I've got news for you, Hades. I never hold back, no matter who I'm facing," replied the man with a wicked smirk. "By the way, who am I facing?"

"You'll be facing a kid by the name of Sora and that idiot, Jerkules."

"Anyone else?"

"Yeah, but why spoil the surprise?" grinned Hades.

-:-

In the gondola, rowing to the Underdrome…

"So we're just going to go straight into the Underdrome?" questioned Sora.

"Yes," responded Auron.

"No offense, Auron, but that doesn't really sound like a good idea," said the young Keyblade wielder.

"That may be, but Hades most likely wouldn't listen if we were to go directly to him. This is the only way we'll be able to free Zack," replied the monk.

"…Okay then," said Sora.

Entering the Underdrome, the four warriors were met with ominous silence. It wasn't until a pillar of fire erupted a few feet in front of them was when the man they were looking for appeared.

"Hmm, so aside from the kid and Zeus' son, I'm also going to be fighting an old man and a woman. Geez, Hades, some surprise."

"Zack!" called out Aqua.

"That's my name, though I usually go by Dark Zack nowadays. You know, you look familiar, woman. Have we met by chance?" questioned Dark Zack, a wicked grin on his face.

"You don't remember me? Its me, Aqua," said a saddened Aqua. _'What has Hades done to you?'_

"Aqua? Oh, that's right! You're the one who beat both Hades and the Ice Colossus! Hade is still pretty steamed that he lost to a woman," laughed Dark Zack. It wasn't the same laugh that Aqua remembered.

Aqua quickly looked over Zack to see how much he really changed over the years. Zack was now much taller than her. Maybe by a head. He was also more muscular than the last time she saw him, but he wasn't as muscular as Hercules. His hair seemed to be longer and his eyes glowed a bright blue. With his face, he no longer looked like the teenager she met, but he now had a more defined structure to his face and the X-shaped scar on the left side of his face made him even more handsome in Aqua's mind.

Aqua mentally shook that thought out of her head. Now was not the time for such things. She had to free Zack from the darkness that Hades has over him.

"So tell me, which of you will be my first opponent?" questioned Dark Zack, letting a dark aura start to surround him.

Before either Sora or Hercules had a chance to say anything, Aqua stepped forward. Auron just looked on.

"I'll be your opponent!" declared the Keyblade Master.

"But Master Aqua!" exclaimed Sora.

"Are you sure you can do this on your own, Aqua? Zack was pretty strong to begin with. Who knows how strong he's gotten over the years," said Hercules, worried about his friend.

"I'm sure. I failed at saving Terra and Ven, but I will not fail at saving Zack!"

"Terra? Hahaha, I remember him! Too bad you'll never see him again. From what I heard, he was taken by the darkness when some guy named Xehanort took over his body and heart," taunted Dark Zack as he drew his blade.

"H-How do you know of that?" questioned Aqua, looking at Zack with wide eyes. The others seemed to be intrigued by this as well.

"Heh, some guy who looks like a clown mentioned it to Hades a while back. He also mentioned that due to the actions of the kid over there," said Dark Zack, pointing his blade at Sora. "You'll never see Terra again as his Nobody was destroyed."

Aqua had heard enough. She wasn't exactly sure what Zack was talking about, but she would get answers later. Right now, she had to save Zack.

She drew her Keyblade and charged forward, swinging her Keyblade. Zack was able to block it with his own blade and was able to block every other swing she sent.

"This is all you've got? I'm somewhat disappointed!" said Dark Zack, letting false sadness in his voice.

Aqua quickly jumped back and performed a Firaga spell, shooting the fireball at Zack, but the possessed warrior blocked it with his blade. Aqua took this chance and, using her speed, was able get in close before Zack could retaliate. She quickly did an upward slash, striking Zack across his chest.

"Gaah!" cried Dark Zack in pain.

He staggered back, gripping his chest.

'_How is he in pain like that? If it was Terra who attacked him, it would be understandable, but my strength is nowhere near Terra's level,'_ thought Aqua, staying on guard as she watched Zack. _'Could it be something else causing this?'_

"Th-That key. Something about it just annoys me. Looks like I'll just have to destroy it!" declared Dark Zack.

"Whoa! Hold it, kid. Time out."

Another pillar of flames appeared but this time it was Hades who stepped out of the fire. The four warriors got on their guard.

"Hades!" exclaimed Sora.

"Let Zack go!" exclaimed Hercules.

"You know, I would, but why would I get rid of my best fighter? Wouldn't be very smart of me, would it?" said the god.

"Hades, if you don't let Zack go, I swear I'll…" stared Aqua.

"You'll what, Bluebird? Look, how about we make a deal? If you can actually defeat my warrior, then I'll set him free. No strings attached."

"You expect us to believe you?" questioned Sora, glaring at the god.

"But if my warrior defeats you," said Hades, ignoring Sora's question. "Then you become my servant like the kid here."

"Since when am I your servant?" questioned Zack.

"Quiet, kid. I'm doing business here," muttered Hades, giving Zack a small glare.

"If it means to free Zack, then I accept!" declared Aqua, her determination and resolve unfaltering.

"Great! And to be fair about it, I'll even give you a day to prepare for the battle. So be here by this time tomorrow or else you forfeit your life over to me. Until tomorrow…" said Hades as he and Zack disappeared in puffs of smoke.

The four left the Underdrome and were making their way back to the entrance to the surface when Sora spoke up.

"Master Aqua! You can't be serious about this, can you? Its obvious that Hades has something up his sleeve!"

"I know, Sora, but I have to do this. As I said earlier, I failed Terra and Ven, but I will not fail Zack. I am a little worried about how Zack reacted when my Keyblade made contact with though. I've never seen anything like that," said Aqua.

"It is possible that it could be the darkness, not Zack, that was in pain from the contact," pointed out Auron. "I will take my leave and see if I can gather any type of information or weaknesses on Zack that could be useful."

With that, the sword-wielding monk left the group.

"I wonder… I wish Master Eraqus were still around. He would know the answer to my question," said Aqua.

"If you need a question answered, why not ask my father, Zeus? Its possible that he might know the answer you're looking for," said Hercules as the three exited the Underworld.

"I suppose it's worth a shot. Very well. Sora, go and tell the other where I'll be so they don't worry."

"Right," said Sora. He then took off to find the others.

Hercules let out whistle and from the sky flew down a white winged horse with a blue mane and tail. Hercules got onto Pegasus' back and then helped Aqua on.

"Alright, Pegasus! To Zeus' Temple!"

With that, Pegasus took to the sky. Holding onto Hercules so she wouldn't fall, Aqua had one thought going through her mind.

'_Don't worry, Zack. I will free you from Hades' control. I promise.'_

**CHAPTER END**

**-:-**

**I can probably already feel the backlash from the Zack fans. Don't worry though. This wouldn't be much of a Zack x Aqua story if Zack remained evil. Next chapter will have the Zack "boss fight" so stay tuned.**

**Though it might be obvious, cookie to whoever can guess who the two mystery men in this chapter were. They'll play a big role in this story.**


	3. Aqua VS Zack

Pegasus, with Hercules and Aqua sitting on his back, flew through the air as he made his way to Zeus' Temple. As they drew closer, excitement was building up within Aqua as she was close to getting answers on how to free Zack.

'_Careful, Aqua. There's still a chance that even Zeus won't have the answers you need. No need to get your hopes up just yet,'_ thought the Keyblade Master.

They soon saw the temple in sight and landed near the entrance. Once on the ground, Aqua and Hercules entered the temple where Aqua's eyes widened at the sight of the very large statue.

"Father! We need to speak with you!" called out Hercules.

There was slight rumble before the statue was struck with a bolt of lightning. Aqua was further surprised when the statue came to life.

"Hercules, my boy! It's been a while!" exclaimed the mighty god. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed Aqua. "And who's your little friend?"

"This is Aqua, Father. She has come here to seek guidance on how to free a friend of hers from Hades' grasp."

Aqua explained to the God of Sky and Thunder what had happened. After hearing Aqua's story, Zeus stroked his beard in thought.

"I see. It is quite possible that the darkness holding your friend was indeed in pain from being struck with your Keyblade. If you want to free Zack from Hades' control, you will need to use the Keyblade to unlock his heart."

"I had a feeling that was it. I just needed to be sure. Thank you," said Aqua with a bow.

"You're welcome, Aqua. Just be careful. If I know my brother, he will have something up his sleeves," warned Zeus.

Saying their goodbyes, Aqua and Hercules saddled up onto Pegasus and flew off back to the Coliseum to prepare for the upcoming fight with Zack.

-:-

Meanwhile with Sora, Kairi, and Riku…

"So Master Aqua's friend is working for Hades?" asked Kairi, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yeah, but it's not his own doing. Hades has Zack under his control. Master Aqua agreed to fight against Zack in order to save him," explained Sora.

"Does she even have a chance? Master Aqua's strong and all, but Hades is no pushover. I'm sure he's made this Zack guy a lot stronger so Master Aqua will lose," said Riku.

"Stop being so negative, Riku!" yelled Kairi, sending the older boy a glare. "There's no way Master Aqua would lose! She would fight as hard as she could save her friend."

"Especially since she apparently loves him," muttered Sora without thinking. Realizing what he said, Sora's eyes widened and he slapped a hand over his mouth while Kairi and Riku looked at him in shock.

"Master Aqua loves Zack?" the two questioned.

"No! You must have misheard!" exclaimed Sora.

"Tell the truth, Sora!" demanded Kairi. She then gave him the puppy dog eyes. "Please…"

Sora blushed a little at Kairi's tactic. She just looked so damn cute in his opinion. It didn't take long for him to relent.

"It was just obvious that she loves him, considering how she acted when she heard that he was dead."

"That could have been brought on because she had already lost her friends Terra and Ventus though and had lost another friend," stated Riku, not really buying it.

"Come on, Sora! Tell us the truth!" demanded Kairi.

"Alright! Hercules mentioned that Zack had asked Master Aqua out on a date after she first beat Hades and she became all red and shy. Granted she couldn't go on the date because she was on a mission at the time, from what I know and from how Aqua acted around Zack back then and now, it's obvious that she loves him."

Kairi let out a giggle. "Aw, that's so cute! I really hope Master Aqua and Zack can be reunited."

"That's only if Hades doesn't pull anything," said Riku.

"Don't worry about it, kid. I'm sure Aqua will be fine. She beat Hades once, she can do it again," said Phil as he walked up to the three teens.

The conversation was cut off when the four saw Aqua and Hercules return from Zeus' Temple. When they landed, the younger Keyblade wielders went over to find out what happened.

"Did you find out what needs to be done to save Zack, Master Aqua?" asked Sora.

"Yes I have, Sora. Considering what I have to do, it will be challenging since Zack is a skilled warrior."

"I know you can do it, Master Aqua. We're all behind you!" exclaimed Kairi with a smile.

Aqua returned the smile. "Thank you, everyone."

"If you want, we can help with your training, Master Aqua," suggested Sora, bringing out his Kingdom Key.

Aqua watched as Riku and Kairi brought out their Way to the Dawn and Destiny's Embrace respectively. Grateful for having students like them, willing to help her through this, Aqua brought out her Rainstorm.

"Let us begin," said Aqua.

-:-

Back in the Underworld, D-Zack was busy destroying some Heartless provided by Hades in the Underdrome.

"Foolish wench. Whatever she did to me will not happen again. I will make sure I destroy that key of hers!" stated the dark soldier with a growl.

"Kukukuku! I wouldn't do that if I were you," laughed a voice from the shadows.

"What do you want?" demanded D-Zack as he glared where the voice came from.

"Just a warning. The key the woman holds is a very powerful weapon. My master wants you to corrupt the woman into the darkness so he can have her under his command. Kukukuku."

"Hn. First off, if I corrupt her with the darkness, she'd be working for me, not your master. Secondly, since when do I take orders from you?"

The man in the shadows frowned at the disobedience D-Zack was showing. His urge to kill him was rising.

"Keep in mind, boy, my master is the one who gave you the power you possess. So you will do as I order, as I am your better. Understood?" questioned the man, his voice now cold unlike before.

"Are you sure? I don't think Hades, Lord of the Dead, would appreciate someone else giving orders around here," said Zack with a smirk.

The man let out a growl. He knew D-Zack was right, what with Hades being a god there would be no way he could win at his current level. The man stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be nothing more than a court jester.

"Mark my words, boy. You have yet seen the last of me. I will gain what I deserve and I will become the ruler of this universe! No copycat will take my glory!"

D-Zack sweatdropped at what the crazy clown across from him was saying. What did he mean by copycat?

"Oi, Kefka! What would your "master" say if he heard that your plans seem to interfere with his?"

The jester froze in mid-rant when he heard that. Turning back to D-Zack, the mad jester thrust his arm out. "You heard nothing, boy!"

With that, Kefka vanished with a manic laugh.

D-Zack gave off a smirk once he was alone. "Things just keep getting more and more interesting."

-:-

Back at the Coliseum, night was falling and the Keyblade wielders were just finishing up there training. Aqua was the only one standing, as Sora, Kairi, and Riku were laid out exhausted.

"How did this happen?" questioned Riku, trying to catch his breath. "It was three to one!"

"Riku, we weren't trying to beat Master Aqua. We were just helping her train," said Kairi, rolling her eyes at the silver-haired boy.

"Do you think you're ready for your upcoming battle now, Master Aqua?" asked Sora as he stood up.

"I believe I am. Tomorrow I shall free Zack and then we need to find out who sent him to the Underworld in the first place."

With that resolve in mind, the four Keyblade wielders went to their lodgings for the night. They would need all of the energy possible to get through tomorrow's trials.

-:-

The day of the battle soon came and the group made their way into the Underworld, meeting up with Auron once they entered.

"Auron, were you able to find anything on Zack?" asked Sora.

"It seems that Zack relies on his strength and speed in battle. It is advisable to find a way to keep him from moving if you wish to free him from the darkness," replied the monk.

"Then I have the perfect strategy," replied Aqua.

The group crossed the River Styx, making their way to the Underdrome where Hades and D-Zack were waiting.

"Heh, just in time, little bluebird. Didn't think you'd make it," said Hades with a grin.

"You'd like that wouldn't you, Hades?" questioned Riku, glaring at the god.

"Long time no see, kid. Still dabbling in the darkness?"

"Leave him be, Hades. We should focus on the woman," stated D-Zack as he stepped forward.

"Right… Okay, Bluebird, here are the rules. Anything goes, so let loose and have fun," explained the Underworld ruler with a smug look.

Aqua narrowed her eyes at Hades. She knew not to trust him, so she had to stay on guard throughout the fight.

"Very well," said Aqua as she took her position on the arena floor.

With a grin, Hades disappeared with a puff of smoke, leaving D-Zack standing across from Aqua. Sora and the others stayed by the entrance of the Underdrome; ready to jump in if needed.

"You're going to wish you never stepped foot in here," stated D-Zack, drawing his blade. "For today is the day you die!"

**Boss: Zack**

**Boss Theme: Extreme Encounters**

D-Zack started off by charging forward, ready to perform an upward slash. Aqua was able to cartwheel out of the way, narrowly dodging the soldier's attack. That didn't stop D-Zack as he sent a few Meteor Shots at Aqua. He was surprised though when the warrior maiden used a barrier to send the meteors back at him.

"What the?" exclaimed D-Zack just as he was hit by his own attack. "You'll pay for that!"

With that, D-Zack vanished and the reappeared behind Aqua. She didn't have the chance to dodge as D-Zack performed his Hero's Pride technique.

"Ahh!" cried out Aqua as she was struck by D-Zack's blade.

"Hahahaha! I was hoping for more of a challenge!" laughed D-Zack as he watched Aqua fall to the ground.

D-Zack charged once more so he could finish off Aqua, but the Keyblade wielder surprised him when she twisted in the air and shot out a Triple Blizzaga spell at him. Seeing him get attacked by the ice magic, it gave Aqua time to set up a Seeker Mine spell without D-Zack noticing. Angry about the ice spell, D-Zack charged once more, only to be blasted by the mine spell.

"Time to finish this!" exclaimed Aqua as an icy wind surrounded her. "Glacier!"

The icy wind spun around her, entrapping D-Zack in ice. The possessed soldier was then sent flying and crashing into the wall, causing massive damage to him.

"Gah!" cried out D-Zack, falling to his knees.

Seeing her chance, Aqua teleported over to D-Zack and placed the tip of her Keyblade where his heart was. In a flash of light, the fight was over.

**Boss Fight End**

Zack was panting hard as Aqua retracted her Keyblade. She looked at him with concern.

"Zack? Are you okay?"

The soldier looked up at Aqua with his bright eyes and gave her a smile. "Only after I take you on that date I promised I will be."

Aqua returned the smile and could feel the start of tears in her eyes. Zack was back to normal.

The happy reunion was short lived though, when a large black mass landed in the arena with a loud crash. Looking up, Aqua and Zack noticed that it was a very large three-headed dog and it looked hungry.

"I did say anything goes, didn't I?" taunted Hades.

"We knew you couldn't be trusted!" yelled Kairi, glaring at the god. Sora and the others also glared at Hades because of his dirty ways.

"Yeah, not a big surprise is it? Let's see if the hero wannabe and the little bluebird can handle Cerberus!"

"We can handle anything you throw at us, Hades!" exclaimed Zack as he readied his blade.

Aqua was worried that Zack was too hurt to fight, but now was not the time. Cerberus had to be dealt with.

"If that's the case, sick 'em Cerberus!" exclaimed Hades.

**Boss: Cerberus**

**Boss Theme: Fight and Away**

Zack and Aqua took off in different directions, hoping to confuse Cerberus and attack the hellhound from different sides. Cerberus, not wanting to lose his prey, went after Aqua first. Seeing this, Zack turned around and jumped towards Cerberus.

"Leave her alone!" shouted Zack as he slashed Cerberus, knocking out a few fangs.

With Cerberus now focused on Zack, Aqua charged up her Bubble Blaster technique.

"Take this!"

Cerberus let out a roar of anger as he was bombarded with bubbles. Not liking this one bit, the hellhound started to shoot fireballs at the two warriors. Zack used the speed of his Hero's Pride to dodge the fireballs, while Aqua used her Teleport skill.

"Hey Fido! Lay down and play dead!" exclaimed Zack as he appeared above Cerberus and brought his sword down upon the middle head.

This was a bad move as the other two head went for the kill.

"Zack!" called out Aqua, worried for the soldier. Seeing as how Zack had no way of escaping, she quickly cast an Ice Barrage spell underneath Cerberus, knocking the hellhound off balance and allowing Zack's attack to connect.

"Nice one, Aqua," said Zack with a grin as he landed next to Aqua.

"Thanks Zack, but we're not done yet," said Aqua.

The magic maiden was right when Cerberus stood up and readied to attack again.

"I think we can end this with one attack. You up for it?" questioned Zack, glancing at the woman beside him.

With confirming nod, Aqua and Zack readied to finish this battle. Just as Cerberus got close, the two warriors struck with a barrage of blade strikes, ending Cerberus' rampage.

**Boss Fight End**

Cerberus collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to go on. With the hellhound down, Aqua and Zack quickly regrouped with the other while Hades started to rage that his plans once again fell short.

"You think I'll just let you walk out of here?" yelled Hades, his temper getting the better of him. "Think again!"

"What are you going to do, Hades? If you haven't noticed, you're outnumbered," said Zack.

Hades scowled at the group as they did not back down. He may be a god, but even Hades was not going to go up against four Keyblade wielders, two swordsmen, and Hercules at the same time.

"Grr, fine. You win this time, but next time you won't be so lucky."

With that, Hades disappeared in a puff of smoke, allowing Zack to have his life back and for the group to leave. Just as they reached the stairway, Auron spoke up.

"This is where I take my leave."

"Hm, thank you for all of your help, Auron," said Aqua. "And I apologize for my behavior when we first met."

"Your behavior was understandable, given the circumstances at the time. It would be wise though, to not let your anger take control like that again."

With those final words, the wise monk took his leave and the group walked up the stairs to the Coliseum.

-:-

Returning to the Coliseum, Zack was happy to return home after all these years. He couldn't help but laugh when he saw that Phil hadn't changed at all and was happy that Hercules had gotten married and to a beautiful woman like Megara no less.

Soon, night soon fell upon the Coliseum once again and Zack was taking a walk near the Coliseum Gates while everyone else slept. As he walked, he saw a spot of blue near the golden statues. Turning to get a better look, he saw that it was Aqua.

"Aqua? Why are you still up? You should be asleep," said Zack as he walked over and sat next to the woman.

"I should be asking you the same thing, Zack. You've been through so much, you need to rest more than I do."

The soldier flashed the woman a grin. "True, but I just needed time to think about something."

"What would that be?" asked Aqua.

"Us."

Hearing that, Aqua couldn't hide the blush on her face. "Us?"

"Yeah. I know our time together in the past was really short, but in that time I grew to really care for you, more than any other girl I've ever met. I was sort of hoping that maybe there could be something between us?" wondered Zack in a nervous tone.

Aqua had a small smile on her face. Zack looked really cute looking as nervous as he was. Gathering her courage, Aqua leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, surprising him in the process.

"I care for you too, Zack. You're kind hearted, brave, passionate, honest. I never thought I'd ever meet someone like you."

"You make it sound like I'm too good for you. If anything, you're too good for me," said Zack, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "With as beautiful as you are, Aqua, I wouldn't be surprised if you had other suitors."

Aqua blushed at the compliment she was given. "To be honest, Zack, you're the only man who has ever asked me out."

That was surprising to Zack. Aqua had never been asked out before or after him? "I don't see how that's possible."

"Well it is," replied Aqua. She really didn't want to tell him about her time in the Realm of Darkness, at least not yet.

"Anyway, back to my original question. Do you think there's any chance for us, Aqua?"

Aqua gained a look of sadness as she answered. "I would love nothing more than anything to be with you Zack, but we come from different worlds and I can't just leave my students behind."

"Whoa, slow down, Aqua! Who said anything about you being to one to stay with me?"

"Wh-What?" questioned the mage, looking at the soldier in surprise.

Zack gave her a smile. "I'm willing to leave Olympus Coliseum to be with you, Aqua."

"But Zack!"

"I know this world is my home, but I don't have a real connection here. I don't have any family and I know Herc wouldn't mind me leaving."

"But Zack, there's so much I have to do…"

"Aqua, I know about what happened to you, Terra, and Ven."

The Keyblade Master's eyes widened at that. "H-How?"

"…Sora and Herc told me earlier. Aqua, Terra and Ven were my friends as well. I want to help you save them, so please, let me come with you. I love you and I will do anything to make you happy."

Tears fell from Aqua's eyes as she listened to Zack's words. She wrapped her arms around Zack's neck and leaned into his shoulders, glad to have someone like him in her life.

"I love you too, Zack, and thank you for everything."

Zack wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace. "It's no problem, Aqua."

-:-

The next morning, the Keyblade wielders and Zack were ready to depart.

"So you're really leaving?" asked Hercules.

"Yeah. I need to do this, Herc," replied Zack.

"Well I'm not stopping you, Zack. I hope we see each other again one day."

"Me too. Maybe we can have a match as well. We never did get to actually fight each other," stated Zack with a grin.

Hercules returned the grin and the two friends sealed their promise for a match with a handshake. Once the goodbyes have been said, Zack walked over to Aqua and her students, grabbing her hand and entwining their fingers once he reached her.

"We all ready?" questioned Sora. Seeing the nods of confirmation, Sora continued. "Then let's head out!"

With that, they left Olympus Coliseum in the Gummi Ship and set out to their next destination.

**CHAPTER END**

**-:-**

**I know it has been a long time since the last update and I really have no excuse. At least Zack has been freed from Hades control and is now by Aqua's side.**

**Also shown in this chapter, Kefka has been revealed, though I'm sure most of you already knew he was in this. Going by his confrontation with Zack, Kefka will be one of the main antagonists in this fic, going against the other main antagonist. Cookie to whoever can guess who the copycat Kefka was talking about is.**

**Aside from Kefka, I'm going to be putting in some other _Final Fantasy_ characters that have yet to be in _Kingdom Hearts _series. So far, I only have four characters in mind that will be making appearances and one of them will be appear in the next chapter.**

**That's pretty much it. I'm about to drop right now, so I need some sleep. Until next time, ja ne.**


End file.
